HILLSDALE — The Hillsdale County Road Commission was recently recognized for its work with other area road commissions during the County Road Association of Michigan’s annual conference.

Since the 1970s the Hillsdale County Road Commission has been working as part of the “Frugal Five” with commissions in Barry, Branch, Cass and St. Joseph counties. Over the years the commissions have cooperated to find solutions to their common issues.

The five road commissions have similar mileage, revenue, geography and population characteristics. The commissions share wage, benefit, project and cost data during meetings.

“Although all of the names and faces have changed over the years it has been very beneficial,” said Stan Clingerman, engineer-manager at the Hillsdale County Road Commission. “We are all not afraid to talk with each other.”

The “Frugal Five” won the best practices award during the conference. The Best Practices Awards were instituted in 2003 to recognize and disseminate practices that make county road agency operations more efficient and cost-effective.

Six nominations were submitted for the best practice award and the awards committee selected four winning entries.

“Amidst calls from legislators and the Snyder Administration for local government efficiency and the sharing of best practices, they need to look no further than their county road agency,” CRAM director John Niemela said. “For years, county road agencies have used innovations and efficiencies to help stretch limited transportation revenues.

“The awards not only recognize county road agencies for their outstanding efforts, but serve as a forum to encourage agencies to share their best practices with one another,” he added.

He said all the award winners had impressive examples of efficiency that could be adopted by other commissions.

The “Frugal Five” meets three times a year.

Clingerman said tribute should be given to the early founders, Roy Rodd of Hillsdale County, Jack Kineman of Barry County, Bruce Jones of St. Joseph County, Bud Hendershot of Cass County and Leo Hoard and Bill Orris of Branch County.

Rodd was the unofficial secretary of the group when it was started a tradition which Clingerman continues today.

He said in recent years the group has become more sophisticated and conducted many surveys comparing everything such as wages, staffing, employee benefits, operations and more.

The County Road Association of Michigan represents the interests of Michigan’s 83 county road agencies that collectively manage more than 75 percent of all roads in Michigan.